Methods, systems, and devices for managing, reprioritizing, and suppressing initiated alarms

ABSTRACT

Present example embodiments relate generally to methods, systems, computing devices, and logic for managing a plurality of alarms initiated by a plurality of alarm sensors. The method comprises the steps of: receiving the plurality of initiated alarm, prioritizing the initiated alarms, creating an initiated alarm being a condition-based alarm when an initiated alarm satisfies an event condition, reprioritizing an initiated alarm when said initiated alarm satisfies a reprioritization condition, suppressing an initiated alarm, reporting an unsuppressed initiated alarm based on the prioritizing of said alarm, and providing information comprising an operator action for the unsuppressed initiated alarm and an initiated alarm suppressed based on the unsuppressed initiated alarm.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to systems, methods, devices,computer-readable medium, and logic for managing a plurality of alarmsinitiated by a plurality of alarm sensors in an alarm-based environment.

BACKGROUND

Distributed Control Systems (“DCS systems”) enable an organization toperform remote centralized controlling of various assets, processes, andalarm-related functions in an alarm-based environment. It is recognizedherein that DCS systems available today, however, are highly complex andinflexible systems, making it generally difficult for operators toreadily and sufficiently obtain information pertaining to understandingalarms, suppressing initiated alarms, identifying causes that initiatealarms, and/or resolving problems associated with initiated alarms.

Due to inherent limitations of conventional DCS systems, separate alarmmanagement systems are typically implemented with DCS systems. Forexample, an alarm management system may operate as a standalone systemand/or a connected system. In an example standalone system, an alarmmanagement terminal is placed physically alongside a DCS terminal, whichenables an operator to search the alarm management system to learn moreabout alarms displayed on the DCS terminal. In an example connectedsystem, an alarm management terminal is typically serially connected toan adjacent DCS terminal so as to pull/retrieve/mirror alarms that arereceived/displayed by the DCS terminal. In these conventionalapproaches, however, the correct, effective, and timely configuring ofalarms, understanding of alarms, suppressing of alarms, and identifyingand resolving the cause(s) that initiate alarms generally lies in wholeor in large with the experience, skills, and know-how of the specificoperator(s) and/or operator team working at that time. It is recognizedherein that problems not only arise from the actual root causes/badactors of alarms initiated in an alarm-based environment, but also fromthe inherent variations in, among other things, performing correct,effective, and timely configuring, understanding, approaching, solving,and minimizing overall consequences caused by the problems that initiatethe alarms, which in turn is a direct consequence of operatorexperience, skill, and know-how within and between organizations.

Furthermore, it is recognized herein that organizations often encounterproblems in respect to determining an overall performance level of theirDCS and/or alarm management system. For example, it is often difficultor impossible to accurately, effectively, and quickly determine anoverall performance of the DCS and/or alarm system for one or more timeperiods and/or after a substantive event. A substantive event mayinclude an upgrade or replacement of a DCS and/or alarm managementsystem, and/or implementing a new or revised alarm managementphilosophy, alarm prioritization matrix, and/or industry standard. Inpractice, conventional approaches will be directed to formulating andtesting specific test scenarios of certain known aspects, includingthose that are affected by a substantive event. Problems arise, however,due to the inability for such conventional approaches to determine anoverall performance of the system, and/or how an overall performance ofthe system during one time period (or by one operator or group ofoperators) compares to an overall performance of the system duringanother time period (or by another operator or another group ofoperators).

SUMMARY

Present example embodiments relate generally to systems, methods,devices, computer readable medium, and logic pertaining to improving themanaging of a plurality of alarms.

In an exemplary embodiment, a method is described for managing aplurality of alarms initiated by a plurality of alarm sensors. Themethod comprises receiving the plurality of initiated alarm. The methodfurther comprises prioritizing the initiated alarms. The method furthercomprises creating an initiated alarm being a condition-based alarm whenan initiated alarm satisfies an event condition. The method furthercomprises reprioritizing an initiated alarm when said initiated alarmsatisfies a reprioritization condition. The method further comprisessuppressing an initiated alarm. The method further comprises reportingan unsuppressed initiated alarm based on the prioritizing of said alarm.The method further comprises providing information comprising anoperator action for the unsuppressed initiated alarm and an initiatedalarm suppressed based on the unsuppressed initiated alarm.

In another exemplary embodiment, a system is provided managing aplurality of alarms initiated by a plurality of alarm sensors, thesystem comprising: a network; a graphical display; an interface operableto receive signals representing initiated alarms; a storage devicecomprising a database, the database configurable to store informationcomprising alarm information, an alarm prioritization matrix, and aninitiated alarm received by the interface; a processor in communicationwith the graphical display, the interface, the storage device, and thenetwork, the processor operable to: receive the plurality of initiatedalarm; prioritize the initiated alarms; create an initiated alarm beinga condition-based alarm when an initiated alarm satisfies an eventcondition; reprioritize an initiated alarm when said initiated alarmsatisfies a reprioritization condition; suppress an initiated alarm;display, on the graphical display, an unsuppressed initiated alarm basedon the prioritizing of said alarm; and provide information comprising anoperator action for the unsuppressed initiated alarm and an initiatedalarm suppressed based on the unsuppressed initiated alarm.

In another exemplary embodiment, a computing device is provided formanaging a plurality of alarms initiated by a plurality of alarmsensors, the computing device in communication with a network and astorage device comprising a database, wherein the database isconfigurable to store information comprising alarm information, an alarmprioritization matrix, and an initiated alarm, the computing devicecomprising: a graphical display; an interface operable to receivesignals representing initiated alarms; and a processor in communicationwith the graphical display and the interface, the processor operable to:receive the plurality of initiated alarm; prioritize the initiatedalarms; create an initiated alarm being a condition-based alarm when aninitiated alarm satisfies an event condition; reprioritize an initiatedalarm when said initiated alarm satisfies a reprioritization condition;suppress an initiated alarm; display, on the graphical display, anunsuppressed initiated alarm based on the prioritizing of said alarm;and provide information comprising an operator action for theunsuppressed initiated alarm and an initiated alarm suppressed based onthe unsuppressed initiated alarm.

In another exemplary embodiment, logic for managing a plurality ofalarms initiated by a plurality of alarm sensors is provided. The logicis embodied in a non-transitory computer-readable medium and, whenexecuted, operable to cause a computing device to perform the steps of:prioritizing the plurality of initiated alarms; creating an initiatedalarm being a condition-based alarm when an initiated alarm satisfies anevent condition; reprioritizing an initiated alarm when said initiatedalarm satisfies a reprioritization condition; suppressing an initiatedalarm; displaying, on a graphical display in communication with thecomputing device, an unsuppressed initiated alarm based on theprioritizing of said alarm; and providing information comprising anoperator action for the unsuppressed initiated alarm and an initiatedalarm suppressed based on the unsuppressed initiated alarm.

In another exemplary embodiment, a computing device is provided formanaging a plurality of alarms initiated by a plurality of alarmsensors, the computing device comprising: a graphical display; aninterface in communication with a network; and a processor operable toreceive information comprising an unsuppressed initiated alarm, anoperator action for the unsuppressed initiated alarm, and an initiatedalarm suppressed based on the unsuppressed initiated alarm; wherein theprocessor is further operable to display the received information on thegraphical display.

In another exemplary embodiment, a method is provided for managing aplurality of alarms initiated by a plurality of alarm sensors, themethod comprising: receiving the plurality of initiated alarm;prioritizing the initiated alarms; identifying a trigger alarm, whereinthe trigger alarm is an alarm associated with a subsequently initiatedalarm; retrieving a set of expected alarms, the set of expected alarmscomprising an alarm expected to be initiated subsequent to the triggeralarm; identifying a set of triggered alarms, the set of triggeredalarms comprising an alarm occurring subsequent to the trigger alarm andmatching an alarm in the set of expected alarms; identifying a set ofuntriggered alarms, the set of untriggered alarms comprising an alarmmatching an alarm in the set of expected alarms and not receivedsubsequent to the trigger alarm; suppressing an initiated alarm whensaid alarm matches an alarm identified in the set of triggered alarms;reporting the trigger alarm; reporting a fault alarm when an initiatedalarm matches an alarm identified in the set of untriggered alarms; andproviding information comprising an operator action for the triggeralarm and an initiated alarm suppressed based on the trigger alarm.

In another exemplary embodiment, a method is provided for managing aplurality of alarms initiated by a plurality of alarm sensors; themethod comprising: establishing an alarm policy based on at least anindustry standard pertaining to alarm management practices; configuringa prioritization procedure for prioritizing an alarm from among theplurality of alarms based on the alarm prioritization matrix; assigninga priority for an alarm from among the plurality of alarms based on alimit setting for the alarm and the prioritization procedure, andstoring the assigned priority in a database; a reprioritizationprocedure for dynamically changing a limit setting for an alarm fromamong the plurality of alarms based on a reprioritization conditionbeing an operating condition, and prioritizing the alarm based on thedynamically changed limit setting; a static alarm suppression procedurefor suppressing an alarm based on a shutdown activity; a dynamic alarmsuppression procedure for suppressing an alarm based on a priorinitiated alarm; a transitory suppression procedure for suppressing analarm when said alarm is an alarm operable to be initiated during atransitory event; and a reporting procedure for reporting anunsuppressed initiated alarm; wherein the reporting procedure is furtheroperable to report information comprising an appropriate operator actionfor the unsuppressed initiated alarm and an initiated alarm suppressedbased on the unsuppressed initiated alarm.

In another exemplary embodiment, a method is provided for assessing anoverall performance of a system comprising a plurality of alarmsinitiated by a plurality of alarm sensors. The method comprisesdetermining a first performance level of the system based on aperformance matrix and a first set of system measurements. The first setof system measurements comprises a first average alarm rate for a firsttime period. The first set of system measurements further comprises afirst threshold percentage for the first time period, the firstthreshold percentage being a percentage of time that an average alarmrate is greater than a predetermined threshold alarm rate. The first setof system measurements further comprises a first maximum alarm rateoccurring within the first time period. The method further comprisesdetermining a second performance level of the system based on theperformance matrix and a second set of system measurements. The secondset of system measurements comprises a second average alarm rate for asecond time period. The second set of system measurements furthercomprises a second threshold percentage for the second time period, thesecond threshold percentage being a percentage of time that an averagealarm rate is greater than the predetermined threshold alarm rate. Thesecond set of system measurements further comprises a second maximumalarm rate occurring within the second time period. The method furthercomprises comparing the first performance level to the secondperformance level.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure, exampleembodiments, and their advantages, reference is now made to thefollowing description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which like reference numbers indicate like features, and:

FIG. 1 is an exemplary embodiment of a system for managing a pluralityof alarms initiated by a plurality of alarm sensors;

FIG. 2 is an exemplary embodiment of a method for managing a pluralityof alarms initiated by a plurality of alarm sensors;

FIG. 3 is an exemplary embodiment of a method for dynamicallysuppressing alarms;

FIG. 4 is an exemplary embodiment of a method of configuring a systemcomprising a plurality of alarms initiated by a plurality of alarmsensors;

FIG. 5 is an exemplary embodiment of a method of assessing an overallperformance of a system comprising a plurality of alarms initiated by aplurality of alarm sensors; and

FIG. 6 is an exemplary embodiment of a method of assessing a level ofperformance for a system comprising a plurality of alarms initiated by aplurality of alarm sensors.

Although similar reference numbers may be used to refer to similarelements for convenience, it can be appreciated that each of the variousexample embodiments may be considered to be distinct variations.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Example embodiments will now be described hereinafter with reference tothe accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and whichillustrate example embodiments which may be practiced. As used in thedisclosures and the appended claims, the terms “example embodiment”,“exemplary embodiment”, and “present embodiment” do not necessarilyrefer to a single embodiment, although they may, and various exampleembodiments may be readily combined and interchanged, without departingfrom the scope or spirit of example embodiments. Furthermore, theterminology as used herein is for the purpose of describing exampleembodiments only and is not intended to be limitations. In this respect,as used herein, the term “in” may include “in” and “on”, and the terms“a”, “an” and “the” may include singular and plural references.Furthermore, as used herein, the term “by” may also mean “from”,depending on the context. Furthermore, as used herein, the term “if” mayalso mean “when” or “upon”, depending on the context. Furthermore, asused herein, the words “and/or” may refer to and encompass any and allpossible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

It is recognized herein that the accuracy, effectiveness, and speed inmanaging alarms, including configuring, identifying, understanding,analyzing, assessing, prioritizing, rationalizing, and handling andresolving alarms and the root causes and problems that initiate alarmsin an alarm-based environment have been conventionally dependent andlimited, in whole or in part, on the experience, skills, and know-how ofthe specific personnel and/or personnel groups working at any given time(such as a shift), and such can vary tremendously between and evenwithin an organization. The variances in the above may mean thedifference between a quick resolution with minimal or no economic lossto potentially losing enormous valuation per unit time (such as perminute) and/or causing personnel injuries, environmental disasters, andeven loss of lives.

Present example embodiments relate generally to methods, devices,systems, computer-readable medium, and logic for alarm management,configuring alarm management systems, and determining an overallperformance of an alarm management system in an alarm-based environment.

As used herein, “alarm management”, “managing alarms”, and the like, andthe systems, methods, devices, computer-readable medium, and logicthereof, and the like, will refer to example embodiments operable toperform and/or assist personnel in performing managing of alarms androot causes and problems that initiate alarms, and may include thosethat are standalone systems and/or those that are communicable, eitherdirectly or indirectly, to an alarm-related system, such as a DCSsystem, and alarm-related aspects of an alarm-related system, includingthose of a DCS system. More specifically, example embodiments areoperable to perform one or more of accurately, effectively, and timelyconfiguring, assessing, analyzing, prioritizing, rationalizing,monitoring, and reporting of alarms in an alarm management system.Example embodiments are further operable to enable one or more of aplurality of personnel, including operators, to consistently achieve oneor more of accurately, effectively, efficiently, and timely identifying,configuring, assessing, analyzing, understanding, reporting, andhandling and resolving situations, including problems indicated by oneor a plurality of initiated alarms.

Example embodiments are operable to perform alarm management for one ormore of a plurality of alarms, including configured alarms, initiatedalarms, triggered alarms, dynamically-created alarms, reprioritizablealarms, condition-based or conditional alarms, suppressed alarms, badactor alarms, fleeting or repeated alarms, standing alarms, groupalarms, transient alarms, acknowledged alarms, delayed alarms,malfunctioning alarms, pre-alarms, and alarms that fail to initiate,trigger or be triggered, create, reprioritize, suppress, delay, and/oracknowledge. As used herein, an “initiated alarm” may include one ormore alarms, including those generally known by persons of ordinaryskill in the art, that have been identified by a sensor and/or acomputing device to meet one or more set limits and/or conditions. Inexample embodiments, an initiated alarm may include one or more of: aconfigured alarm that has been initiated; a trigger alarm, which mayinclude an alarm that is associated with and/or triggers one or moresubsequently initiated alarms; a triggered alarm, which may include analarm that has been subsequently initiated and/or triggered by a triggeralarm; a dynamically-created alarm, which may include an alarm thatbecomes initiated based on one or more conditions, such as apredetermined condition, an operating condition, and/or anotherinitiated alarm; a reprioritizable alarm, which may include an alarmthat can be assigned a priority based on satisfying one or moreconditions, such as a reprioritization condition, and/or an alarm whoseone or more limit settings can be changed based on satisfying one ormore conditions, such as a reprioritization condition; a condition-basedalarm, which may include an alarm that becomes initiated based on one ormore other initiated alarms and/or one or more conditions, such as anevent condition; an alarm prior to being suppressed by one or moresuppression methods or procedures (to be described herein); a bad actoralarm; a pareto alarm; a fleeting alarm, which may include an alarm thatinitiates and clears (and/or return to an non-initiated state withoutbeing acknowledged) over a period of time; a standing alarm; a groupalarm, which may include an initiated alarm comprising two or morerelated alarms that have, among other things, substantially the samepriority and/or required action and/or response by an operator; agrouped alarm, which may include an alarm in a group alarm; a transientalarm, which may include an alarm initiated during a transitory period;an acknowledged alarm, which may include an alarm initiated andacknowledged by an operator; a delayed alarm; and an alarm that, but fora failure to initiate and/or be received by the system (such as by analarm processor), would have initiated or been received. For example, atemperature sensor having a high limit setting of 100 degrees Celsiusand a low limit setting of 10 degrees Celsius would normally initiate ahigh temperature high alarm when the sensor measures a temperature equalto or greater than 100 degrees Celsius and likewise should initiate alow temperature high alarm when measuring less than or equal to 0degrees Celsius.

Configuring an Alarm Management System

As illustrated in FIG. 4, a method is described for configuring,re-configuring, revising, amending, updating, creating, and/or upgradingan alarm management system, the alarm management system being operableto, among other things, manage a plurality of alarms, including alarmsinitiated by a plurality of alarm sensors in an alarm-based environment.

An example method for managing a plurality of alarms initiated by aplurality of alarm sensors comprises establishing an alarm policy 402based on at least an industry standard pertaining to alarm managementpractices. Examples of an industry standard may include the EEMUAPublication No. 191 and the ANSI/ISA 18.2. The method may furthercomprise configuring an alarm prioritization matrix 404 based on thealarm policy. The method may further comprise configuring aprioritization procedure 406 for prioritizing an alarm from among theplurality of alarms based on the alarm prioritization matrix. The methodmay further comprise assigning a priority 408 for an alarm from amongthe plurality of alarms based on a limit setting for the alarm and theprioritization procedure, and storing the assigned priority in adatabase (not shown). The method may further comprise removing an alarm410 from among the plurality of alarms identified by the alarm policy asbeing unnecessary. The method may further comprise reconfiguring a deadband value 412 for an alarm from among the plurality of alarms based ona measurement response time associated with the alarm and the alarmpolicy. The method may further comprise a grouping procedure 414comprising creating a new alarm being a group alarm when there are atleast two related alarms. In this respect, the related alarms maycomprise a same priority and a same initial operator response. Themethod may further comprise a reprioritization procedure 416 fordynamically changing a limit setting for an alarm from among theplurality of alarms based on a reprioritization condition being anoperating condition, and prioritizing the alarm based on the dynamicallychanged limit setting. The method may further comprise an alarmsuppression method 418, such as an example embodiment of a staticsuppression method, for suppressing an alarm from among the plurality ofalarms based on a shutdown activity. The shutdown activity may be aknown or planned shutdown activity, and may include an entire plantshutdown, a partial plant shutdown, one or more process or lineshutdowns, one or more equipment shutdowns, and/or parts thereof. Themethod may further comprise an alarm suppression method 420, such as anexample embodiment of a dynamic suppression method, for suppressing analarm from among the plurality of alarms based on the alarm beinginitiated and/or triggerable by another initiated alarm. The method mayfurther comprise a suppression method 422, such as an example embodimentof a transitory suppression method, for suppressing an alarm from amongthe plurality of alarms when the alarm is an alarm that is capable ofbeing initiated during a transitory event. The method may furthercomprise a reporting procedure 424 for reporting, among other things,unsuppressed initiated alarms. In this regard, the reporting procedure424 may further be operable to report, among other things, informationcomprising an appropriate operator action for the unsuppressed initiatedalarm and/or an initiated alarm suppressed based on an unsuppressedinitiated alarm. One or more of the above may also be based on the alarmpolicy 402, the prioritization procedure 406, and/or the alarmprioritization matrix 404.

It is to be understood herein that the alarm management system may be asystem provided by an alarm management or DCS-related provider, such asa complete system, a standalone system, a modular system, and/or anupgrade/revision thereof. Alternatively or in addition, the alarmmanagement system may be a collection, juxtaposition, and/or cooperationof a plurality of different, independent, related, and/or inter-relatedsystems/technologies/standards from one or more vendors. In any event,example embodiments are operable to perform normalizing of varying alarmsignals, formats, standards, priorities, and the like, so as to enablethe managing of a plurality of alarms originating from a plurality ofdifferent alarm-based systems.

To accurately and effectively configure an alarm management system,example embodiments may be directed to first establishing an alarmmanagement policy 402 for the alarm-based entity. As used herein, theterms “organization” and “alarm-based entity” may refer to an entitycomprising an alarm-based environment, such as an organization, a groupof organizations, a group of alarms, and/or a subset thereof. Forexample, the alarm-based entity may include one or more factories,departments, refineries, divisions, collection of related and/orunrelated alarms, geographical areas, and the like.

The alarm policy 402 in example embodiments may comprise one or more ofbaseline criterion, set(s) of rules, best practices and results,historic practices and results, desired practices and desired results,historic alarms, desired alarms, and/or industry standard(s) so as toachieve or work towards achieving one or more alarm management goals.Goals may include one or more of accurately, effectively, and timelyconfiguring, assessing, analyzing, prioritizing, rationalizing,monitoring, and reporting of alarms, including initiated, triggered, anddynamically-created alarms, in an alarm management system. Goals mayfurther include enabling one or more of a plurality of personnel,including operators, to consistently achieve one or more of accurately,effectively, efficiently, and timely identifying, configuring,assessing, analyzing, understanding, reporting, and handling andresolving situations, including problems indicated by one or a pluralityof initiated alarms. The varying degrees of addressing the problems andachieving the goals described herein can mean the difference between aquick resolution with minimal or no economic loss or potentially losingenormous valuation per minute and/or causing personnel injuries,environmental disasters, and even loss of lives.

In an example embodiment, a method for managing a plurality of alarms inan alarm-based entity comprises configuring one or more alarmprioritization matrices 404. An alarm prioritization matrix 404 may beconfigured based on, among other things, the alarm policy. The alarmprioritization matrix 404 may also be configured based on operatingconditions. The purpose of the alarm prioritization matrix 404 is toassist in establishing a prioritization procedure 406 for setting one ormore priorities for one or more limit settings of one or more alarms ofthe alarm management system. That is, once the alarms of the alarmmanagement system have been identified, loaded, and/or established (orexisting as default alarms) for the alarm-based entity, one or morealarms may be assigned, initially and/or dynamically, one or morepriorities based on one or more of, among other things, one or morelimit settings for the alarm (or the alarm sensor), the prioritizationprocedure 406, the alarm prioritization matrix 404, and the alarm policy402. In example embodiments, the assigned priority or priorities of eachalarm are storable in one or more databases.

The method may further comprise identifying and assessing the necessity410 of one or more alarms that are capable of being initiated by thealarm management system, including existing alarms, historic alarms,pre-configured, and/or default alarms. In doing so, one or moreunnecessary alarms 410, which may include alarms pre-configured and/ordefault in an alarm management system, may be removed and/or deactivatedfrom the alarm management system so as to avoid future occurrences ofinsignificant, irrelevant, or unnecessary alarms being initiated.Unnecessary alarms 410 may be identified based on the alarm policy. Forexample, if an alarm is factory-configured to include high-high, high,low, and low-low alarms but only a high-high alarm is identified asbeing necessary, the high, low, and low-low alarms should be removed,which may include removing the alarm settings and/or resetting alarmpriorities to indicate “no alarm”.

Example embodiments further comprise reconfiguring one or more dead bandvalues 412 for one or more alarms. In general, default alarm hysteresisdead band values of one or more measurement instruments for one or morealarms can be changed to desired limit values and/or based on the alarmpolicy. It is recognized herein that alarm rates in an alarm managementsystem may be reduced by changing such limit values based on, forexample, the type of instrument, type of measurement, response time ofthe measurement, and application thereof, so as not to be too narrowand/or too wide. A dead band having limit values that are too narrow mayunduly cause oscillating alarms. On the other hand, limit values thatare too wide may keep alarms initiated for an unduly long period oftime. It is also recognized herein that, for measurements with arelatively slow response time, such as temperature measurements, anarrow dead band should be applied. On the other hand, for measurementswith a relatively fast response time, such as pressure measurements, awide dead band should be applied.

The configuration method may further comprise one or more groupingprocedures 414. In example embodiments, a grouping procedure 414 maycomprise creating a new alarm, hereinafter called a group alarm, whentwo or more related alarms are initiated. Initiated alarms may berelated when, for example, the alarms comprise a same priority and/orbased on the alarm policy. Initiated alarms may also be related when thealarms comprise a same required action for an operator to perform uponbeing initiated. For example, one or more alarms may be set to providean initial operator response, which provides an operator with one ormore actions to perform (or not perform) when the alarm is initiated. Inexample embodiments, when two or more initiated alarms comprise the samepriority and the same initial operator response, a group alarm, being analarm representing the two or more related initiated alarms will beinitiated. In this regard, the two or more related initiated alarms maybe correspondingly removed, suppressed, and/or delayed from beingdisplayed to the operator. In doing so, the number of initiated alarmsdisplayed to the operator may be substantially reduced in exampleembodiments.

The configuration method may further comprise one or morecondition-based procedures 415. In example embodiments, acondition-based procedure 415 may comprise creating a new alarm,hereinafter called a condition-based alarm, when one or more initiatedalarms are identified and one or more conditions, such as an eventcondition, are satisfied. It is recognized herein that condition-basedalarms are operable to determine, among other things, one or moresituations that may or may not be monitored, measured, and/or determinedaccurately or at all by alarm sensors.

One or more reprioritization procedures 416 may also be provided in theconfiguration method. In an example embodiment, a reprioritization 416may comprise enabling the alarm management system to dynamically changeone or more limit settings of an alarm when one or more conditions, suchas a reprioritization condition, are met. In operation, areprioritization of the alarm may occur since the alarm becomesinitiated based on one or more different limit setting. In anotherexample embodiment, the reprioritization 416 comprises enabling thealarm management system to dynamically change one or more priorities ofone or more alarms when one or more conditions, such as areprioritization condition, are met. In operation, a reprioritization ofthe alarm may occur since the alarm becomes initiated based on one ormore different priorities when the limit setting is met. In otherexample embodiments, the reprioritization 416 may also comprise enablingthe alarm management system to dynamically change one or more limitsettings and one or more priorities of an alarm when one or morereprioritization conditions are met.

One or more example embodiments of static suppression procedures 418 mayalso be provided in the configuration method. In operation, a staticsuppression may comprise suppressing one or more alarms that becomeinitiated when one or more shutdown activities occur and/or based on thealarm policy. In general, a shutdown activity may include a known and/orunknown shutdown of one or more equipment, a group of equipment, anentire process or line, and/or the entire organization. In determining astatic suppression procedure 418, example embodiments are operable toidentify and associate the one or more alarms that are expected tobecome initiated when a shutdown activity occurs with the staticsuppression procedure. In operation, when a shutdown activity isidentified, example embodiments are operable to perform the staticsuppression procedure, which may include suppressing the identified andassociated alarms. In doing so, the number of initiated alarms displayedto an operator may be substantially reduced during shutdown activities.

In example embodiments, one or more dynamic suppression procedures 420may also be provided in the configuration method. In general, aninitiated alarm (trigger alarm) oftentimes causes (or triggers) one ormore other alarms (triggered alarms) to be subsequently initiated. Forexample, in a flame failure case for a furnace, a flame failure alarm(trigger alarm) will subsequently cause or trigger one or more triggeredalarms, including a low fuel pressure alarm, a low fuel trip alarm, alow furnace outlet temperature alarm, an air fuel ratio alarm, and thelike. In example embodiments, a dynamic suppression procedure 420 maycomprise suppressing one or more subsequently initiated alarms(triggered alarms) when a trigger alarm is initiated and identified as atrigger alarm. In doing so, the number of initiated alarms displayed toan operator may be substantially reduced in example embodiments.

One or more example embodiments of transitory suppression procedures 422may also be provided in the configuration method. In general, atransitory event may cause one or more alarms to be initiated. Forexample, a fuel tank may comprise a low-low alarm, a low alarm, a highalarm, and a high-high alarm. In a cleaning operation, the tank may berequired to be emptied and refilled. Such a transitory operation mayinitiate a low alarm, followed by a low-low alarm, followed a lowoperation again when being re-filled. Example embodiments are operableto identify and suppress transitory alarms, such as the low alarm in theabove example. In doing so, the number of initiated alarms displayed toan operator may be substantially reduced in example embodiments.

In example embodiments, a reporting procedure 424 may also be providedso as to report unsuppressed initiated alarms, such as on a graphicaldisplay. The graphical display may include a screen of a computingdevice, such as a network-connected desktop computer or a mobile device,such as a tablet, a PDA, a mobile phone, or the like. It is recognizedherein that displaying mostly or only unsuppressed initiated alarmsenables the number of relevant initiated alarms displayed to an operatorto be substantially reduced. In example embodiments, the unsuppressedinitiated alarms are displayable on the graphical display based on,among other things, the priority of the alarm. The displayed alarms mayalso be displayed based on other characteristics, including whether theinitiated alarm is a process alarm, a diagnostic (or system) alarm, agroup alarm, an event alarm, a trigger alarm, a reprioritized alarm, apre-alarm, and the like. As used herein, a process alarm refers to analarm pertaining to a problem that may result or has already resulted inconsequences to personnel safety, economic loss, and/or environmentalloss. On the other hand, a diagnostic alarm refers to an alarm thatenables an organization to continue operating in a normal manner and/orhaving consequences not related to personnel safety, economic loss,and/or environmental loss. As such, in displaying initiated alarms basedon, for example, process alarms and diagnostic alarms, plant operatorsviewing operator terminals of the alarm management system may be shownalarms comprising process alarms (diagnostic alarms suppressed), andsystem engineers viewing dedicated maintenance terminals of the alarmmanagement system may be shown alarms comprising diagnostic alarms(process alarms suppressed).

In respect to the reporting procedure 424 described above and herein, anoperator (or system engineer) is further operable to select an initiatedalarm to further identify, configure (or reconfigure), assess, analyze,understand, provide further reporting, reprioritize, group, create newalarms (such as event alarms), and/or handle and/or resolve situations,including problems indicated by the initiated alarm. In exampleembodiments, the selecting may include using a peripheral input device,such as a mouse or touchpad, to click or double-click on the displayedinitiated alarm and/or an icon representing the initiated alarm. Theselecting may also include, in embodiments comprising a touchscreendisplay, touching the displayed initiated alarm and/or an iconrepresenting the initiated alarm. Upon selecting an initiated alarm, awindow, such as an alarm narrative window, may be opened to display,among other things, details of the alarm. In example embodiments, thewindow may display information comprising one or more of the alarm name,associated site/plant/unit/area/panel/equipment/etc., location of thealarm in the organization, map of the location of the alarm, alarm type,alarm limit setting, units of measure, purpose of the alarm, consequenceof no operator action, severity, operator response time, requiredoperator action (or initial operator response), priority (or priorities)of the alarm, selected priority or priorities of the alarm 408,safeguards for the alarm (such as pre-alarms and escalation),reprioritization procedures 416 and conditions, static suppressionprocedures 418 and pertinent shutdown activities, dynamic suppressionprocedures 420 and other initiated triggered alarms suppressed by thealarm; group or grouped alarm 414 details and conditions, transientsuppression procedures 422, condition-based alarm 415 details andconditions, dead band value or values 412, significant operatingconditions, delay, auto acknowledge, and the like.

Managing an Alarm Management System

As illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, methods, systems, devices, andcomputer-readable medium are described for managing a plurality ofalarms in an alarm management system, including alarms initiated by aplurality of alarm sensors in an alarm-based environment. The alarmmanagement system 100 may be configured in accordance with one or moreexample embodiments of configuring an alarm management system, asdescribed above and herein. Alternatively or in addition, the alarmmanagement system 100 may be configurable at any time, including duringfactory acceptance testing (FAT), site acceptance testing (SAT),shutdown, low activity periods, managing of alarms, alarm and/or problemhandling, during plant upset, during normal plant operation, on the fly,as needed, or the like.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the method comprises receiving 202 a pluralityof initiated alarms. The method may further comprise prioritizing 204the received initiated alarms. The method may further comprise creatingan initiated alarm being a group alarm 210 comprising two or morerelated initiated alarms. The method may further comprise creating aninitiated alarm being a condition-based alarm 212 based on one or moreinitiated alarms and/or one or more logic conditions. The method mayfurther comprise reprioritizing 214 an initiated alarm based on one ormore conditions. The method may further comprise suppressing 218 aninitiated alarm from among initiated alarms. The method may furthercomprise reporting 222 an unsuppressed initiated alarm, and providinginformation comprising an operator action for the unsuppressed initiatedalarm and an initiated alarm suppressed based on the unsuppressedinitiated alarm 220.

In operation, example embodiments are operable to receive 202 andprioritize 204 initiated alarms. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the initiatedalarms may be receivable 202 by an interface 108 in communication withan alarm management processor 102 operable to receive signalsrepresenting initiated alarms. The processor 102 may be further operableto convert the signals into an appropriate format for the processor touse and/or for a database 104 to store therein. In example embodimentswherein the alarm-based entity comprises two or more different alarmsystems that generate different alarm signals, formats, standards,priorities, or the like, the processor is operable to normalize thedifferent alarm signals so as to enable consistent managing of thealarms. The processor 102 may be in communication with, among otherthings, one or more networks 110, one or more graphical displays 106,one or more databases 104, and one or more interfaces 108. In exampleembodiments, alarm signals are communicable to and/or from theinterface(s) 108 through wires and/or wirelessly, and such communicationmay be through the network(s) 110. The network 110 may comprise aninternet-based network, or the like, and communication through thenetwork 110 to and from the processor 102 may be performable in a securemanner, such as by using encryption, or the like.

In an example embodiment, a group alarm 210 may be reportable 222 (suchas displayable on a graphical display 106) or suppressed 218, 220 frombeing reported (such as not displayed on the graphical display) as aninitiated alarm. A grouping procedure 210 may be operable to reportand/or display the group alarm when two or more initiated alarms areidentified as being related. As used herein, “report”, “reportable”,“reporting”, “display”, “displayable”, “displayed”, and the like, willbe used interchangeably and will refer to providing information to anoperator. Initiated alarms may be related when, for example, the alarmscomprise a same priority, another related aspect, a user-definedrelation, and/or based on the alarm policy 402. Alarms may also berelated when the alarms comprise a same required action for an operatorto perform upon being initiated. In example embodiments, when two ormore initiated alarms comprise the same priority and the same initialoperator response, a group alarm 210, being an alarm representing thetwo or more related initiated alarms, may be displayable on thegraphical display 106 and/or a computing device 112. Correspondingly,the two or more related initiated alarms may be removed, suppressed,delayed, or the like, from being displayed on the graphical display. Indoing so, the number of initiated alarms displayed to an operator may besubstantially reduced in example embodiments. It is to be understoodherein that a group alarm may comprise any one or more initiated alarms,including another group alarm, a condition-based alarm, and areprioritized alarm, and may or may not be suppressed by a suppressionprocedure.

In an example embodiment, condition-based alarm 212 may be displayable222 on or suppressed 218, 220 from being displayed on the graphicaldisplay 106 as an initiated alarm. A condition-based procedure 212 maybe operable to display the condition-based alarm when one or moreinitiated alarms are identified and one or more event conditions aresatisfied. It is recognized herein that condition-based alarms 212 areoperable to determine, among other things, one or more situations thatmay or may not be monitored, measured, and/or determined accurately orat all by alarm sensors. It is to be understood herein that acondition-based alarm may comprise any one or more initiated alarms,including another condition-based alarm, a group alarm, and areprioritized alarm, and may or may not be suppressed by a suppressionprocedure.

In an example embodiment, an initiated alarm may be reprioritized 214prior to being displayable 222 on or suppressed 218, 220 from beingdisplayed on the graphical display 106 as an initiated alarm. Areprioritization procedure 214 may be operable to dynamically change oneor more limit settings of an initiated alarm when one or moreconditions, such as a reprioritization condition, are met. In thisregard, a reprioritization 214 of the alarm may occur since the alarmbecomes initiated based on a different limit setting. In another exampleembodiment, the reprioritization 214 may comprise dynamically changingthe priority of one or more limit settings of an alarm when one or moreconditions, such as a reprioritization condition, are met. In thisregard, a reprioritization 214 of the alarm may occur since the alarmbecomes initiated based on a different priority when the limit settingis met. In example embodiments, the reprioritization 214 may also beoperable to dynamically change one or more limit settings and one ormore priorities of an alarm when one or more reprioritization conditionsare met. It is to be understood herein that a reprioritization may beperformable on any one or more initiated alarms, including a groupalarm, a condition-based alarm, and a previously reprioritized alarm,and may or may not be suppressed by a suppression procedure.

The method may also comprise a static suppression procedure 218 a forsuppressing one or more alarms that become initiated when one or moreshutdown activities occur and/or based on the alarm policy. In applyinga static suppression procedure 218 a, example embodiments are operableto identify and associate one or more alarms that may become initiatedwhen a shutdown activity occurs. That is, when a shutdown activity isidentified, example embodiments are operable to perform suppressing ofthe identified and associated alarms. In doing so, the number ofinitiated alarms displayed to an operator may be substantially reducedduring shutdown activities. The shutdown activity may be a known orplanned shutdown activity, and may include an entire plant shutdown, apartial plant shutdown, one or more process or line shutdowns, one ormore equipment shutdowns, and/or parts thereof. It is to be understoodherein that a static suppression procedure may be performable on any oneor more initiated alarms, including a group alarm, a condition-basedalarm, and a reprioritized alarm.

A dynamic suppression procedure 218 b, 300, as illustrated in FIG. 3,may also be provided when managing a plurality of initiated alarms. Inexample embodiments, a dynamic suppression procedure 218 b, 300 maycomprise suppressing one or more triggered alarms from among initiatedalarms 302 when a trigger alarm is initiated and identified 306 as atrigger alarm. In operation, after a trigger alarm is identified 306, aset of expected alarms 308 that are expected to be triggered by thetrigger alarms may be retrievable from a database 104, such as the alarmdatabase, and identified. A set of triggered alarms 310 may then beidentified by determining, among other things, which of the initiatedalarms occurring subsequent to the trigger alarm matches an alarm in theset of expected alarms 308. Example embodiments may also be operable toidentify a set of untriggered alarms 312, which may include alarmsmatching an alarm in the set of expected alarms 308 but not subsequentlyreceived as an initiated alarm after the trigger alarm. The dynamicsuppression procedure 218 b, 300 may then be operable to suppress 314the set of triggered alarms. Furthermore, the trigger alarm may bedisplayable 318 on the graphical display as an initiated alarm.Furthermore, a fault alarm 320, which may include an alarm representinga positive identification of a set of untriggered alarms, may also bedisplayable on the graphical display 106 as an initiated alarm. Inexample embodiments, the dynamic suppression procedure 218 b, 300 may beoperable to suppress 314 the set of triggered alarms 310 during atrigger timer having a predetermined duration. In situations wherein atrigger or triggered alarm is initiated after the trigger timer, thedynamic suppression procedure 218 b, 300 may begin again by firstidentifying a trigger alarm 306, retrieving and identifying a set ofexpected alarms 308, determining a set of triggered alarms 310,identifying a set of untriggered alarms 312, suppressing the set oftriggered alarms 314, and displaying the trigger alarm 318 and any faultalarms 320. In implementing the dynamic suppression procedure 218 b,300, it is recognized herein that the number of initiated alarmsdisplayed to an operator may be substantially reduced in exampleembodiments. It is to be understood that a prioritization step 304 maybe performable prior to suppressing the initiated alarm in exampleembodiments. It is also to be understood herein that a dynamicsuppression procedure may be performable on any one or more initiatedalarms, including a group alarm, a condition-based alarm, and areprioritized alarm.

A transitory suppression procedure 218 c may be operable to identify andsuppress transitory alarms in example embodiments. In doing so, thenumber of initiated alarms displayed to an operator may be substantiallyreduced in example embodiments. It is to be understood herein that atransitory suppression procedure may be performable on any one or moreinitiated alarms, including a group alarm, a condition-based alarm, anda reprioritized alarm.

In an example embodiment, after suppressing 218 suppressible alarms, asdescribed above and herein, a reporting procedure 222 may be operable todisplay, among other things, unsuppressed initiated alarms on thegraphical display 106. It is recognized herein that displaying mostly oronly unsuppressed initiated alarms enables the number of relevantinitiated alarms displayed on the graphical display 106 to besubstantially reduced. In example embodiments, the unsuppressedinitiated alarms 222 are displayable on the graphical display 106 basedon priority of the alarm. The displayed alarms may also be displayedbased on other characteristics, as described above and herein, includingwhether the initiated alarm is a process alarm, a diagnostic (or system)alarm, a group alarm 210, a condition-based alarm 212, a trigger alarm218 b, a reprioritized alarm 214, and the like. As such, in displayinginitiated alarms based on, for example, process alarms and diagnosticalarms, plant operators viewing operator terminals 106, 112 of the alarmmanagement system may be shown alarms comprising process alarms, andsystem engineers viewing dedicated maintenance terminals 106, 112 of thealarm management system may be shown alarms comprising diagnosticalarms. It is to be understood herein that the reporting procedure mayreport any one or more initiated alarms, including a group alarm, acondition-based alarm, and a reprioritized alarm. The reportingprocedure may also be operable to enable an operator to learn more aboutsuppressed alarms.

In respect to the reporting procedure 220, 222 described above andherein, an operator (or system engineer) may be further operable toselect an initiated alarm to further identify, configure (orreconfigure), assess, analyze, understand, provide further reporting,reprioritize, group, create new alarms (such as event alarms), and/orhandle and/or resolve situations, including problems indicated by theinitiated alarm. In example embodiments, the selecting may include usinga peripheral input device, such as a mouse or touchpad, to click ordouble-click on the displayed initiated alarm and/or an iconrepresenting the initiated alarm. The selecting may also include, inembodiments comprising a touchscreen display, touching the displayedinitiated alarm and/or an icon representing the initiated alarm. Uponselecting an initiated alarm, a window, such as an alarm narrativewindow, may be opened to display, among other things, details of thealarm. In example embodiments, the window may display informationcomprising one or more of the alarm name, associatedsite/plant/unit/area/panel/equipment/etc., location of the alarm in theorganization, map of the location of the alarm, alarm type, alarm limitsetting, units of measure, purpose of the alarm, consequence of nooperator action, severity, operator response time, required operatoraction (or initial operator response), priority (or priorities) of thealarm, selected priority or priorities of the alarm, safeguards for thealarm (such as pre-alarms and escalation), reprioritization proceduresand conditions, static suppression procedures and pertinent shutdownactivities, dynamic suppression procedures and other initiated triggeredalarms suppressed by the alarm, group or grouped alarm details andconditions, transient suppression procedures, event alarm details andconditions, dead band value or values, significant operating conditions,delay, auto acknowledge, and the like.

In example embodiments, one or more of the methods described above andherein may be in the form of instructions embodied in a non-transitorycomputer-readable medium that, when executed on a computing device 102,such as one or more of those described above and herein, may cause thecomputing device 102 and/or another remote computing device 112 incommunication with the computing device 102 to perform one or more ofthe methods described above and herein.

An alarm management processor 102, such as a computer server, may beoperable to receive initiated alarms in an alarm-based environment of analarm-based entity. The alarm processor 102 may be operable to performone or more of the above methods of configuring and/or managing aplurality of initiated alarms, including prioritizing alarms 204,initiating a group alarm 210, initiating a condition-based alarm 212,reprioritizing 214 an initiated alarm, performing static suppression 218a of initiated alarms, performing dynamic suppression 218 b, 300 ofinitiated alarms, performing suppression of transient alarms 216,performing suppression of fleeting alarms, displaying unsuppressedalarms 222, including unsuppressed initiated alarms, unsuppressed groupalarms, unsuppressed event alarms, unsuppressed reprioritized alarms,unsuppressed pre-alarms, unsuppressed trigger alarms, removingunnecessary default or pre-configured alarms, reconfiguring dead bandvalues for an initiated alarm, and the like.

A remote computing device 112, such as a network-connected desktopcomputer, laptop computer, and/or mobile device (such as a tablet, PDA,mobile phone, or the like), may be operable to communicate with thealarm processor 102. In example embodiments, the remote computing device112 may be assigned certain privileges based on the user. For example, adesktop or laptop computer 112 for an operator in an operations room maybe granted full or most privileges, which may include most or all of thefunctionalities of the alarm processor 102. A mobile device 112, such asa smart phone (ex. iPhone or Android-based phone), of a supervisor ormanager of operations may also be granted full or most privileges. Amobile device 112 of a system engineer, on the other hand, may only begranted viewing-only privileges.

Assessing an Overall Performance of an Alarm Management System

An example embodiment of assessing an overall performance of an alarmmanagement system is illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6. Example embodimentsfor assessing an overall performance of an alarm management system mayinclude a scheduled periodic routine of assessing the entire alarmmanagement system and/or one or more particular operators, operatorteams, operator shifts, and the like, for every fixed duration of time,such as six months. Example embodiments may also include assessing anoverall performance of an alarm management system after a substantiveevent. A substantive event may include one or more of an upgrade orreplacement of a part or all of a DCS, an upgrade or replacement of apart or all of an alarm management system, a new or revision of a partor all of an alarm policy, a new or revision of a part or all of analarm prioritization matrix, and a new or revision of a part or all ofan industry standard.

In assessing an overall performance of an alarm management system,example embodiments comprise determining a first performance level 502of the system based on a performance matrix 503 and a first set ofsystem measurements 501 a. The first set of system measurements 501 amay comprise a first average alarm rate for a first time period, a firstthreshold percentage for the first time period, and a first maximumalarm rate occurring within the first time period. The first thresholdpercentage is a percentage of time in the first time period that anaverage alarm rate is greater than a predetermined threshold alarm rate.Thereafter, the assessing comprises determining a second performancelevel 504 of the system based on the performance matrix 503 and a secondset of system measurements 501 b. The second set of system measurements501 b comprises a second average alarm rate for a second time period, asecond threshold percentage for the second time period, and a secondmaximum alarm rate occurring within the second time period. Similarly,the second threshold percentage is a percentage of time in the secondtime period that an average alarm rate is greater than the predeterminedthreshold alarm rate.

Once the first performance level 502 of the system and the secondperformance level 504 of the system are determined, an exampleembodiment is operable to compare 506 the first performance level 502 tothe second performance level 504. An improvement 508 in overallperformance of the system is assessed when the second performance level504 is better than the first performance level 502. In a similar manner,a deterioration or worsening 510 in overall performance of the system isassessed when the second performance level 504 is not as good as thefirst performance level 502. No change 509 in overall performance of thesystem is assessed when the second performance level 504 is the same asthe first performance level 502.

As further illustrated in FIG. 6, the performance matrix 600 is operableto determine an overall performance level of the system based on a firstparameter 601 being a first or second average alarm rate, a secondparameter being a first or second maximum alarm rate, and a thirdparameter being a first or second percentage of time that an averagealarm rate is greater than a threshold rate. More specifically, theperformance matrix 600 determines an overall performance level of thesystem as being, for example, a first level 605, a second level 606, athird level 607, a fourth level 608, or a fifth level 609. In thisregard, the fifth level 609 is indicative of a better overallperformance of the system than the fourth level 608. In a similarmanner, the fourth level 608 is indicative of a better overallperformance of the system than the third level 607, the third level 607is indicative of a better overall performance of the system than thesecond level 606, and the second level 606 is indicative of a betteroverall performance of the system than the first level 605. It is to beunderstood herein that example embodiments of the performance matrix mayinclude more or less than five levels. Furthermore, it is to beunderstood herein that each level may comprise a range that is the same,such as a range of 10 values, or a range that is different, such as alogarithmic or exponential scale.

In an example embodiment, the first level 605 is achievable when thefirst parameter 601 is greater or equal to a first parameter first value612. The first level 605 is also achievable when the second parameter602 is greater than or equal to a second parameter first value 618. Thefirst level 605 is also achievable when the third parameter 603 isgreater than or equal to a third parameter first value 626.

In an example embodiment, the second level 606 is achievable when thefirst parameter 601 is between the first parameter first value 612 and afirst parameter second value 614, and the second parameter 602 is lessthan or equal to a second parameter second value 620. The second level606 is also achievable when the first parameter 601 is between the firstparameter first value 612 and the first parameter second value 614, andthe third parameter 603 is less than or equal to a third parametersecond value 628. The second level 606 is also achievable when the firstparameter 601 is less than the first parameter first value 612 and thethird parameter 603 is between the third parameter first value 626 andthe third parameter second value 628. The second level 606 is alsoachievable when the first parameter 601 is less than the first parameterfirst value 612 and the second parameter 602 is between the secondparameter first value 618 and the second parameter second value 620.

In an example embodiment, the third level 607 is achievable when thefirst parameter 601 is less than the first parameter second value 614and the third parameter 603 is between the third parameter second value628 and a third parameter third value 630. The third level 607 is alsoachievable when the first parameter 601 is less than the first parametersecond value 620 and the second parameter 602 is between the secondparameter second value 620 and a second parameter third value 622.

In an example embodiment, the fourth level 608 is achievable when thefirst parameter 601 is between the first parameter second value 614 anda first parameter third value 616 and the second parameter 602 is lessthan a second parameter fourth value 624. The fourth level 608 is alsoachievable when the first parameter 601 is between the first parametersecond value 614 and the first parameter third value 616 and the thirdparameter 603 is less than or equal to a third parameter fourth value632. The fourth level 608 is also achievable when the first parameter601 is less than the first parameter second value 614 and the thirdparameter 603 is between the third parameter third value 630 and thethird parameter fourth value 632. The fourth level 608 is alsoachievable when the first parameter 601 is less than the first parametersecond value 614 and the second parameter 602 is between the secondparameter third value 622 and the second parameter fourth value 624.

In an example embodiment, the fifth level 609 is achievable when thefirst parameter 601 is less than the first parameter third value 616 andthe third parameter 603 is less than the third parameter fourth value632. The fifth level 609 is also achievable when the first parameter 601is less than the first parameter third value 616 and the secondparameter 602 is less than the second parameter fourth value 624.

An example embodiment for assessing an overall performance level of asystem, as described above and herein, comprises the first parameterbeing an average alarm rate per 10 minutes (examples include averagealarm rate per panel and/or per operator), the second parameter being amaximum alarm rate for any 10 minute period in the first and second timeperiod, and the third parameter being a percentage of time that alarmrates are outside of an acceptability target (examples includepercentage of time an alarm rate is outside of 1 alarm per panel and/orper operator per 10 minutes). In an example embodiment, the first levelmay be indicative of system consistently having an overload of alarms,the second level may be indicative of a reactive system, the third levelmay be indicative of a stable system, the fourth level may be indicativeof a robust system, and the fifth level may be indicative of apredictive system.

In an example embodiment, the first parameter first value may be set asa value between 40 and 60, the first parameter second value may be setas a value between 8 and 12, and the first parameter third value may beset as a value between 0.8 and 1.2. Furthermore, the second parameterfirst value may be set as a value between 800 and 1,200, the secondparameter second value may be set as a value between 400 and 600, thesecond parameter third value may be set as a value between 80 and 120,and the second parameter fourth value may be set as a value between 8and 12. Furthermore, the third parameter first value may be set as avalue between 40% and 60%, the third parameter second value may be setas a value between 20% and 30%, the third parameter third value may beset as a value between 4% and 6%, and the third parameter fourth valuemay be set as a value between 0.8% and 1.2%.

In another example embodiment, the first parameter first value may beset as a value of 50, the first parameter second value may be set as avalue of 10, and the first parameter third value may be set as a valueof 1. Furthermore, the second parameter first value may be set as avalue of 1,000, the second parameter second value may be set as a valueof 500, the second parameter third value may be set as a value of 100,and the second parameter fourth value may be set as a value of 10.Furthermore, the third parameter first value may be set as a value of50%, the third parameter second value may be set as a value of 25%, thethird parameter third value may be set as a value of 5%, and the thirdparameter fourth value may be set as a value of 1%.

It is to be understood herein that there may be situations wherein afirst and/or second set of measurements, which may comprise the firstparameter, the second parameter, and the third parameter, are used inassessing an overall performance of a system, and the assessing, such asthe methods described in FIGS. 5 and 6, result in more than onedetermined level of the system. In such situations, the overallperformance level of the system will be the lower of the more than onedetermined level. For example, if the first parameter value falls in athird level 607, the second parameter value falls in a third level 607,but the third parameter value falls in a second level 608, then theoverall performance level of the system will be the lower level, or thethird level 607.

Communication between and/or within computing devices can be in anyform, including a communication network between connected devices andany other network elements, and may also represent a collection ofdevices or virtual machines operable to provide cloud computing servicesto users. In an embodiment, the above-mentioned devices can also be indirect communication with one or more user computers, equipment,instruments, and/or other network elements. Communication between theabove devices can include routers, hubs, switches, firewalls, contentswitches, gateways, call controllers, and/or any other suitablecomponents in any suitable form or arrangement. Communication betweenthe above devices can include, in whole or in part, one or more securedand/or encrypted Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) operable to couple oneor more of the devices together by operating or communicating overelements of a public or external communication network. In general,communication between the devices can include any combination of publicor private communication equipment such as elements of the publicswitched telephone network (PSTN), a global computer network such as theinternet, an intranet, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network(WAN), or other appropriate communication equipment. In an embodiment,the above devices may communicate through peer-to-peer (P2P)communications over the network. In some embodiments, a communicationnetwork might not be used at all if the computing devices are located onthe same device.

It is to be understood herein that computing devices can be the samecomputing device and/or two or more computing devices operatingseparately or in communication with each other, and computing devicesare also operable to input alarm-related information into alarmdatabases.

As used herein, the terms “computing device”, “server”, and “processor”can include computing devices, can be a virtual machine, computer,mobile computing device, node, instance, host, or device in acommunication network or networked computing environment. Also usedherein, a communication network or networked computing environment is acollection of devices connected by communication channels thatfacilitate communication between devices and allow devices to shareresources. Also as used herein, one or more of said computing devicescan be a device deployed to execute a program, including those thatoperate as a socket listener, and may include software instances.

Furthermore, computing device, which can include computing devicesdescribed herein, can encompass any type of computing resource forrunning instances including hardware (such as servers, clients,mainframe computers, networks, network storage, data sources, memory,central processing unit time, scientific instruments, and othercomputing devices), as well as software, software licenses, availablenetwork services, and other non-hardware resources, or a combinationthereof. Examples of computing devices include general-purpose computersand laptops, network nodes, servers, tablets, handheld devices, PDAs,mobile phones, virtual machines, peripheral devices such as a keyboard,mouse, and/or touch-screen, sensors (such as those that measure, count,or keep track of production, time, temperature, pressure, etc.),databases, networks, etc.

While various embodiments in accordance with the disclosed principleshave been described above, it should be understood that they have beenpresented by way of example only, and are not limiting. Thus, thebreadth and scope of example embodiments described herein should not belimited by any of the above-described embodiments, but should be definedonly in accordance with the claims and their equivalents issuing fromthis disclosure. Furthermore, the above advantages and features areprovided in described embodiments, but shall not limit the applicationof such issued claims to processes and structures accomplishing any orall of the above advantages.

For example, a communication network or networked computing environmentmay include but is not limited to computing grid systems, distributedcomputing environments, cloud computing environment, etc. Suchcommunication networks or networked computing environments includehardware and software infrastructures configured to form a virtualorganization comprised of multiple resources that may be ingeographically disperse locations.

While communication protocols may not be expressly described herein, thecoverage of the present application and any patents issuing therefromcan extend to one or more communication protocols.

Various terms used herein have special meanings within the presenttechnical field. Whether a particular term should be construed as such a“term of art” depends on the context in which that term is used.“Connected to,” “in communication with,” “associated with,” or othersimilar terms should generally be construed broadly to includesituations both where communications and connections are direct betweenreferenced elements or through one or more intermediaries between thereferenced elements, including through the Internet or some othercommunicating network. “Network,” “system,” “environment,” and othersimilar terms generally refer to networked computing systems that embodyone or more aspects of the present disclosure. These and other terms areto be construed in light of the context in which they are used in thepresent disclosure and as one of ordinary skill in the art wouldunderstand those terms in the disclosed context. The above definitionsare not exclusive of other meanings that might be imparted to thoseterms based on the disclosed context.

Words of comparison, measurement, and timing such as “at the time,”“equivalent,” “during,” “complete,” and the like should be understood tomean “substantially at the time,” “substantially equivalent,”“substantially during,” “substantially complete,” etc., where“substantially” means that such comparisons, measurements, and timingsare practicable to accomplish the implicitly or expressly stated desiredresult.

Additionally, the section headings herein are provided for consistencywith the suggestions under various patent regulations and practice, orotherwise to provide organizational cues. These headings shall not limitor characterize the embodiments set out in any claims that may issuefrom this disclosure. Specifically, a description of a technology in the“Background” is not to be construed as an admission that technology isprior art to any embodiments in this disclosure. Furthermore, anyreference in this disclosure to “invention” in the singular should notbe used to argue that there is only a single point of novelty in thisdisclosure. Multiple inventions may be set forth according to thelimitations of the claims issuing from this disclosure, and such claimsaccordingly define the invention(s), and their equivalents, that areprotected thereby. In all instances, the scope of such claims shall beconsidered on their own merits in light of this disclosure, but shouldnot be constrained by the headings herein.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for managing a plurality of alarmsinitiated by a plurality of alarm sensors, the method comprising:receiving the plurality of initiated alarms; prioritizing the initiatedalarms; creating a condition-based alarm, wherein the condition-basedalarm is a new initiated alarm created when a received initiated alarmis determined to satisfy an event condition; reprioritizing an initiatedalarm when said initiated alarm satisfies a reprioritization condition;suppressing an initiated alarm; reporting an unsuppressed initiatedalarm based on the prioritizing of said alarm; and providing informationcomprising an operator action for the unsuppressed initiated alarm andan initiated alarm suppressed based on the unsuppressed initiated alarm.2. The method of claim 1, wherein the prioritizing is based on an alarmprioritization matrix.
 3. The method of claim 1, further comprisingreconfiguring a dead band value for an initiated alarm based on ameasurement response time associated with said initiated alarm.
 4. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising creating a group alarm when two ormore related initiated alarms are received, wherein the relatedinitiated alarms comprise the same priority and a same initial operatorresponse.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the event condition is anoperating condition that is not monitored by an alarm sensor associatedwith the received initiated alarm used to create the condition-basedalarm.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the reprioritizing comprisesdynamically changing a limit setting for said initiated alarm based onthe reprioritization condition being an operating condition, and thereprioritizing further comprises prioritizing said initiated alarm basedon the dynamically changed limit setting.
 7. The method of claim 1,further comprising performing alarm performance measurements, the alarmperformance measurements comprising average alarm rate, maximum alarmrate, and percentage of time alarm rates exceed a threshold value. 8.The method of claim 1, wherein the suppressing comprises suppressing analarm initiated by a shutdown activity.
 9. The method of claim 1,wherein the suppressing comprises: identifying a trigger alarm fromamong initiated alarms, wherein the trigger alarm is an alarm associatedwith a subsequently initiated alarm; retrieving a set of expectedalarms, the set of expected alarms comprising an alarm expected to beinitiated subsequent to the trigger alarm; identifying a set oftriggered alarms, the set of triggered alarms comprising an alarmoccurring subsequent to the trigger alarm and matching an alarm in theset of expected alarms; identifying a set of untriggered alarms, the setof untriggered alarms comprising an alarm matching an alarm in the setof expected alarms and not received subsequent to the trigger alarm;suppressing an initiated alarm when said alarm matches an alarmidentified in the set of triggered alarms; reporting the trigger alarm;and reporting a fault alarm when an initiated alarm matches an alarmidentified in the set of untriggered alarms.
 10. The method of claim 1,wherein the suppressing comprises suppressing a transient alarm, thetransient alarm being an alarm initiated during a transitory event. 11.The method of claim 4, wherein the group alarm comprises a reprioritizedalarm.
 12. The method of claim 4, wherein the reprioritized alarmcomprises a group alarm.
 13. The method of claim 4, wherein thesuppressed alarm comprises a group alarm.
 14. The method of claim 1,wherein the suppressed alarm comprises a reprioritized alarm.
 15. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the suppressed alarm comprises a fleetingalarm.
 16. The method of claim 4, wherein the unsuppressed alarmcomprises a group alarm.
 17. The method of claim 1, wherein theunsuppressed alarm comprises a reprioritized alarm.
 18. The method ofclaim 9, wherein the unsuppressed alarm comprises a trigger alarm.
 19. Asystem for managing a plurality of alarms initiated by a plurality ofalarm sensors, the system comprising: a network; a graphical display; aninterface operable to receive signals representing initiated alarms; astorage device comprising a database, the database configurable to storeinformation comprising alarm information, an alarm prioritizationmatrix, and an initiated alarm received by the interface; a processor incommunication with the graphical display, the interface, the storagedevice, and the network, the processor operable to: receive theplurality of initiated alarms; prioritize the initiated alarms; create acondition-based alarm, wherein the condition-based alarm is a newinitiated alarm created when a received initiated alarm is determined tosatisfy an event condition; reprioritize an initiated alarm when saidinitiated alarm satisfies a reprioritization condition; suppress aninitiated alarm; display, on the graphical display, an unsuppressedinitiated alarm based on the prioritizing of said alarm; and provideinformation comprising an operator action for the unsuppressed initiatedalarm and an initiated alarm suppressed based on the unsuppressedinitiated alarm.
 20. The system of claim 19, further comprising acomputing device in communication with the processor through thenetwork, the computing device comprising logic operable to receive anddisplay initiated alarms received at the processor.
 21. The system ofclaim 19, wherein the prioritizing is based on the alarm prioritizationmatrix.
 22. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor is furtheroperable to reconfigure a dead band value for an initiated alarm basedon a measurement response time associated with the initiated alarm. 23.The system of claim 19, further comprising creating a group alarm whentwo or more related initiated alarms are received, wherein the relatedinitiated alarms comprise the same priority and a same initial operatorresponse.
 24. The system of claim 19, wherein the event condition is anoperating condition that is not monitored by an alarm sensor associatedwith the received initiated alarm used to create the condition-basedalarm.
 25. The system of claim 19, wherein the reprioritizing comprisesdynamically changing a limit setting for said initiated alarm based onthe reprioritization being an operating condition, and thereprioritizing further comprises prioritizing said initiated alarm basedon the dynamically changed limit setting.
 26. The system of claim 19,wherein the processor is further operable to perform alarm performancemeasurements, the alarm performance measurements comprising averagealarm rate, maximum alarm rate, and percentage of time alarm ratesexceed a threshold value.
 27. The system of claim 19, wherein thesuppressing comprises suppressing an alarm initiated by a shutdownactivity.
 28. The system of claim 19, wherein the suppressing comprises:identifying a trigger alarm, wherein the trigger alarm is an alarmassociated with a subsequently initiated alarm; retrieving a set ofexpected alarms, the set of expected alarms comprising an alarm expectedto be initiated subsequent to the trigger alarm; identifying a set oftriggered alarms, the set of triggered alarms comprising an alarmoccurring subsequent to the trigger alarm and matching an alarm in theset of expected alarms; identifying a set of untriggered alarms, the setof untriggered alarms comprising an alarm matching an alarm in the setof expected alarms and not received subsequent to the trigger alarm;suppressing an initiated alarm when said alarm matches an alarmidentified in the set of triggered alarms; reporting the trigger alarm;and reporting a fault alarm when an initiated alarm matches an alarmidentified in the set of untriggered alarms.
 29. The system of claim 19,wherein the suppressing comprises suppressing a transient alarm, thetransient alarm being an alarm initiated during a known transitoryevent.
 30. The system of claim 23, wherein the group alarm comprises areprioritized alarm.
 31. The system of claim 23, wherein thereprioritized alarm is a group alarm.
 32. The system of claim 23,wherein the suppressed alarm is a group alarm.
 33. The system of claim19, wherein the suppressed alarm is a fleeting alarm.
 34. The system ofclaim 19, wherein the suppressed alarm is a reprioritized alarm.
 35. Thesystem of claim 23, wherein the unsuppressed alarm comprises a groupalarm.
 36. The system of claim 19, wherein the unsuppressed alarmcomprises a reprioritized alarm.
 37. The system of claim 28, wherein theunsuppressed alarm comprises a trigger alarm.
 38. A computing device formanaging a plurality of alarms initiated by a plurality of alarmsensors, the computing device in communication with a network and astorage device comprising a database, wherein the database isconfigurable to store information comprising alarm information, an alarmprioritization matrix, and an initiated alarm, the computing devicecomprising: a graphical display; an interface operable to receivesignals representing initiated alarms; and a processor in communicationwith the graphical display and the interface, the processor operable to:receive the plurality of initiated alarms; prioritize the initiatedalarms; create a condition-based alarm, wherein the condition-basedalarm is a new initiated alarm created when a received initiated alarmis determined to satisfy an event condition; reprioritize an initiatedalarm when said initiated alarm satisfies a reprioritization condition;suppress an initiated alarm; display, on the graphical display, anunsuppressed initiated alarm based on the prioritizing of said alarm;and provide information comprising an operator action for theunsuppressed initiated alarm and an initiated alarm suppressed based onthe unsuppressed initiated alarm.
 39. The computing device of claim 38,wherein the prioritizing is based on the alarm prioritization matrix.40. The computing device of claim 38, wherein the processor is furtheroperable to reconfigure a dead band value for an initiated alarm basedon a measurement response time associated with said initiated alarm. 41.The computing device of claim 38, further comprising creating a groupalarm when two or more related initiated alarms are received, whereinthe related initiated alarms comprise the same priority and a sameinitial operator response.
 42. The computing device of claim 38, whereinthe event condition is an operating condition that is not monitored byan alarm sensor associated with the received initiated alarm used tocreate the condition-based alarm.
 43. The computing device of claim 38,wherein the reprioritizing comprises dynamically changing a limitsetting for said initiated alarm from among initiated alarms based onthe reprioritization being an operating condition, and thereprioritizing further comprises prioritizing said initiated alarm basedon the dynamically changed limit setting.
 44. The computing device ofclaim 38, wherein the processor is further operable to perform alarmperformance measurements, the alarm performance measurements comprisingaverage alarm rate, maximum alarm rate, and percentage of time alarmrates exceed a threshold value.
 45. The computing device of claim 38,wherein the suppressing comprises suppressing an alarm initiated by aknown shutdown activity.
 46. The computing device of claim 38, whereinthe suppressing comprises: identifying a trigger alarm, wherein thetrigger alarm is an alarm associated with a subsequently initiatedalarm; retrieving a set of expected alarms, the set of expected alarmscomprising an alarm expected to be initiated subsequent to the triggeralarm; identifying a set of triggered alarms, the set of triggeredalarms comprising an alarm occurring subsequent to the trigger alarm andmatching an alarm in the set of expected alarms; identifying a set ofuntriggered alarms, the set of untriggered alarms comprising an alarmmatching an alarm in the set of expected alarms and not receivedsubsequent to the trigger alarm; suppressing an initiated alarm whensaid alarm matches an alarm identified in the set of triggered alarms;reporting the trigger alarm; and reporting a fault alarm when aninitiated alarm matches an alarm identified in the set of untriggeredalarms.
 47. The computing device of claim 38, wherein the suppressingcomprises suppressing a transient alarm, the transient alarm being analarm initiated during a transitory event.
 48. The computing device ofclaim 41, wherein the group alarm comprises a reprioritized alarm. 49.The computing device of claim 41, wherein the reprioritized alarm is agroup alarm.
 50. The computing device of claim 41, wherein thesuppressed alarm is a group alarm.
 51. The computing device of claim 38,wherein the suppressed alarm is a reprioritized alarm.
 52. The computingdevice of claim 38, wherein the suppressed alarm comprises a fleetingalarm.
 53. The computing device of claim 41, wherein the unsuppressedalarm comprises a group alarm.
 54. The computing device of claim 38,wherein the unsuppressed alarm comprises a reprioritized alarm.
 55. Thecomputing device of claim 46, wherein the unsuppressed alarm comprises atrigger alarm.